So I started writing a short post for The Green Chain blog to say goodbye to Babz and to thank her for… being Babz… and I kept writing and I kept writing and then I showed it to David Beers, my editor at The Tyee…

And because of their active comments section, I think that’s probably a better place to read it. Here’s how it starts…

Babz Chula was not my first choice for the role of “the protester” in The Green Chain.

I wanted someone with Babz’s warmth, Babz’s politics, Babz’s signature feistiness, Babz’s sense of humour, Babz’s ability to light up a screen and Babz’s passion for small Canadian movies, but I wanted someone… old.

I needed someone old.

I’d never seen Babz look old. I couldn’t imagine her looking old.

I first met Babz when I interviewed her a lifetime ago. We met at her place in Kitsilano. I think she spent most of our visit advising me on the responsibilities she felt came with my job as a theatre critic. I recall her telling me that when she was growing up a neighbour named the Barbie doll after her. That doesn’t seem to be true, but I believed it. Wouldn’t you?

For the rest of the story, visit The Tyee...